Former MSMS director to serve as interim state arts school head

A former executive director of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, in Columbus, has been named as interim head of The Mississippi School of the Arts in Brookhaven.

Carol Alderman, who retired in 2008 after serving four years as head of MSMS, will replace The Mississippi School of the Arts retiring executive director, Dr. Vicki Lambert, July 1.

"It''s certainly a great opportunity for me to serve, in a little bit different capacity, to use the skills I''ve already honed working with the students at MSMS," Alderman, who has been working as a consultant with JBHM Education Group, said Wednesday. "I''m pleased to be able to serve the gifted and talented students of the state from a somewhat different perspective and to offer my services to The Mississippi School of the Arts until they find a new director, which will be hopefully soon."

"I think it''s an excellent choice," MSMS Executive Director Charles Brown said of the naming of Alderman to the position. "Carol is an accomplished educational administrator. I think as interim (executive director), especially with what the directors do in the summer, she can help them get ready to open school. She''s committed to gifted education, in general, and I think she''s just as committed to education for artistically gifted kids as she is for academically gifted kids.

"I think it is a wise choice and the school staff will enjoy working with Carol," he added.

The Mississippi School of the Arts is a residential school providing advanced programs of study in music, theater, visual arts, dance, literary arts and media arts for 11th- and 12th-grade students from school districts across the state.